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Stealing a guitar from a dead man could land a Wisconsin cemetery worker in prison for 10 years.

Steven Conard pleaded no contest to takling the cream-colored Fender Telecaster from a casket at the Allouez Catholic Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum near Green Bay where he worked. The $2,000 guitar had belonged to Randall Jourdan, whose dying wish was to be buried with the instrument, which he called his "pride and joy."

"I have to have that guitar. It's too expensive to be in a crypt," Conard allegedly told a groundskeeper at the boneyard, according to the complaint.

Jourdan, who died at 67, played guitar for more than 40 years, family members told investigators.

Conard, 39, was accused of stealing the guitar on Sept. 23. It was recovered from his home a day later. He entered his plea in court on Monday and will be sentenced in January.

"This isn't something I normally do; I just have a respect for fine musical instruments," Conard allegedly told investigators over the weekend, according to The Associated Press.